A FEW THOUGHTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.

Evening Star, Issue 3791, 19 April 1875, Page 2

A FEW THOUGHTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.

The actors are bucking at criticism. I don't wonder at it; lam only surprised they did not before. How would the critics like to have a shadow dogging their heels ? That is a state of things I totally disapprove of—making spiteful and ill-natured Remarks about people, or indeed making remarks of any sort. Would you believe, sur, that I was once absurd enough to imagine that I would turn theatrical critic. It s nice, you know, thought I, to pop in and out when xt pleases you, and si* in judgment on poor devils of actors. But with regret, sir. I gave up the idea. On reflection I found tint the office required learning and requirements that did not do me the honor to lodge with ms. Some day (said I to myself) I’ll be w»Jrin C a ficuco of it, like the agricultural editor wo read of who wrote about shaking turnips off trees and starting a breeding farm with wethers, f thought perhaps some morning they would catch me confounding Hamlet with Dundreary, or Cleopatra with the Grand Duchess—and so I subsided. But you may imagine the regret with which I saw vanish the opportunity of having a dig at an enemy, or helping a mend ° n v Bn>e an< l fortune. Suoh privileges are worth some annoyances, even should they extend to letting the public know ‘that bad whisky inspires your efforts. ,*! “ Q dei the table or in the waste-paper basket. Oh, Mr Reid, you shock me. Is that your method of disposing of effusions abounding wish refinement of thought and transparent good temper T I should have expected, at the least, that you would have suggested framing and glazing the document But you perhaps hay® a better means of judging its value. S that is the sample of article you fill your basket with, Mr Held, I am afraid you trample very unceremoniously on the corns of people who think themselves important “ Your duty to protect the young ladies employed in the shops.” gallant Mr Mayor I In such acause, with such clients, your feelings will, [feel ■we. not allow you to wait for the slow call of official duty, but, like a knight of old, you would hasten to the rescue and glory m the championship, ana feel amply repaid with a smile. As to courting popularity with the damsels, had such an idea struck you, you would never have made the remark in the hearing of the reporters. That is sufficient answer to any wicked people who may hint that you wished the ladies to believe that you felt proud td beef any service to them.

We have had telegrams that were a waste of the type used to chronicle them. But we can t say as much for this one “ Milk was 4d and it s 6d.” But he might have wired the pnce of cabbages. Snob a capacity for judging what interests the public might know that people would like to hear if vegetables are moving. Our friend John, for instance, has a soul above cows, but he is devotion itself to geeen stuff.

For the future the telegraph authorities do not hold themselves responsible for steamer telegrams. The service is delegated to the agencies. The agents must be in dreadful suspense lest they should not be equal to keeping up the reputation for exactness which the office enjoyed. I think, agents, if that is the only comparison the public will judge you by, you may allay your anxiety and sleep in peace. The responsibility is light. Won t somebody pity the sorrows of poor Mr Lumb? You stony-hearted publicans, is there not one of you with sufficient milk of human kindness to admit frankly that there is sulphuric acid iu your brandyand fusel oil in your rum, that turps flavor your gin, and your beer is improved by salting. Yet, knowing all this, you will persist in compelling the poor man to make speeches, and his analyst to make experiments, when one word from you would settle the matter. Take example from Mr Dodson. See how charmingly he admits breaking the law. But perhaps, you imagine that infringing the law in lotteries extending oyer thousands, and doing Mr Lumb when a pint of beer is in question, are not parallel cases. Well, I believe you are right, friends. I think the probability is that Mr Dodson would have been more severely punished for drawing bad beer, than for circulating thou* sands of temptations amongst the clerks and others whom his Worship thinks it is so wioked to expose to temptation. Funny law. ’ e hear of woolly people showing off at Home in different ways with .the ill-gotten wealth extorted from the life-blood of poor deluded immigrants. One will shine in the racing world and get shorn, another indulges in the costly luxury of the Divorce Court, and the ambition of some extends to Parliament; but one has chosen a novel pastime—getting drank at the Argyle Booms and taking lodgings as a garotter at the lock-up, aud only let off on pro* ducing his bank-book ; whilst tils companions, who had no bank-books, received other attentions from his Worship. This will be something new to blow about on returning to his muttons. It will vary the conversation. Humility.